Kids in space

From European Voice's Entre-Nous column

9/7/11, 9:08 PM CET

Updated 4/23/14, 9:12 PM CET

Going boldly where no children have gone before.

Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation system has been beset by logistical and financial problems. Earlier this year, WikiLeaks released a cable in which the chief executive of the largest satellite company in Germany described the system as “a stupid idea” and “a waste of taxpayers’ money”. When Janusz Lewandowski, the European commissioner for financial programming and budget, gave details of the Commission’s 2012 draft budget, a €24.9 million cut in the system’s funding was proposed.

However, some progress is being made. The Commission proclaimed last week (1 September) that a competition to name the system’s satellites is to be launched in all member states. Children born in 2000, 2001 and 2002 can submit a drawing with a space theme and those judged to have come up with the best artwork will have satellites named after them.

Belgium and Bulgaria, first on the alphabetical list, have organised their competitions already. The winning drawings came from children called Thijs and Natalia, whose satellite namesakes are to be launched on 20 October. The plan is that the named satellites will be launched up until 2019, but the Commission has not explained what will happen if the satellite programme is cut back – perhaps the names of some teenagers from the United Kingdom will be consigned to a black hole.